# If an NFL team had ALL it's quarterbacks injured what are it's options? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 13, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-an-nfl-team-had-all-its-quarterbacks-injured-what-are-its-options/463488 "2008-09-13T21:32:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-an-nfl-team-had-all-its-quarterbacks-injured-what-are-its-options/463488/41 "2008-09-20T01:23:58Z")
> [@Frosted\_Glass](#): > > I might buy that the strong safety on a team with a Steelers-like pressure D might be mic’d but a LB still makes the most sense because you need someone who can actually communicate to the entire field from their position. As the LB you can give hand signals to the secondary and talk directly to the other LB’s and the D-line if necessary. It is also a heck of a lot easier to see what the offense as a whole is doing from the LB position. I’m not sure you understood my point. In Dime defense, for example, there is only one linebacker on the field, and that lone linebacker will usually be an OLB, not the MLB or an ILB. That’s why it doesn’t make sense to mic the MLB or an ILB; he’s not always on the field. Also, whomever has a good view of the offense has no bearing on who gets mic’d, mainly because it makes sense to assume that the mics get shut off as the offense breaks the huddle, just like the offensive mics do. For those few defenses where there is a MLB who is always on the field – eg: Antonio Pierce for the Giants, London Fletcher for the Redskins – then hell yeah, he gets mic’d. But if you pull your MLB off the field on third downs like most teams do, well, he better not be the guy with the radio in his helmet or you’ve planned things out very poorly. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-an-nfl-team-had-all-its-quarterbacks-injured-what-are-its-options/463488/42 "2008-09-21T08:12:30Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Anquan Boldin also played QB in college. But, I think the Cardinals would rather keep him as a receiver!😃 Yeah, but if it came down to putting him or Matt Leinart on the field, it’d be a tough decision. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-an-nfl-team-had-all-its-quarterbacks-injured-what-are-its-options/463488/43 "2008-09-22T11:59:40Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > For those few defenses where there is a MLB who is always on the field – eg: Antonio Pierce for the Giants, London Fletcher for the Redskins – then hell yeah, he gets mic’d. But if you pull your MLB off the field on third downs like most teams do, well, he better not be the guy with the radio in his helmet or you’ve planned things out very poorly. I believe two defensive players are allowed to have radios in their helmets. The rules just don’t both mic’d helmets on the field at the same time. They’re marked with green dots for that purpose, and according to a recent Peter King column, the NFL pays somebody to watch one helmet at all times to make sure they are not both on the field simultaneously. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-an-nfl-team-had-all-its-quarterbacks-injured-what-are-its-options/463488/44 "2008-09-22T13:48:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I believe two defensive players are allowed to have radios in their helmets. The rules just don’t both mic’d helmets on the field at the same time. They’re marked with green dots for that purpose, and according to a recent Peter King column, the NFL pays somebody to watch one helmet at all times to make sure they are not both on the field simultaneously. I think that’s more to do with injuries. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-an-nfl-team-had-all-its-quarterbacks-injured-what-are-its-options/463488/45 "2008-09-22T14:02:26Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > I think that’s more to do with injuries. I found a USA Today article that appears to back you up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-an-nfl-team-had-all-its-quarterbacks-injured-what-are-its-options/463488.md?page=2)